A Lesson in Christian Compassion
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
This morning we are going to be looking at a portion of scripture in which Jesus gives us a lesson in Christian Compassion.
A few weeks ago we looked at the beginning of Chapter 18 where Jesus taught the disciples some lessons from children if you will remember.
He taught them that unless they be converted and become as little children they would never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Then He talked about leading the children astray and making them stumble and how serious an offense that was and then He finished it up by talking about how if one sheep goes astray, the shepherd leaves the other 99 to find the one and finally He said there in...
14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
God’s will is not that any should perish but that all should come to repentance, amen!
And even when we who have been born again go astray, these prior verses tell us that Jesus don’t let us wonder too far..so far as to be lost forever, amen!
When we get off that straight and narrow, praise God, He comes looking for us, seeking, searching until He finds and brings us back into the fold!
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
Paul said in...
12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Listen to me this morning friend, if you could lose your salvation, then every person sitting here would be lost and headed for a devil’s hell!
But I’m thankful that when I stumble and fall; when I make mistakes and come up short; when I stray off the beaten path; Jesus don’t leave me there! Oh, no! He comes looking for me!
God is faithful, amen!
When I can’t, He can!
When I don’t, He does!
When I fall short, He makes me whole!
When I go astray, He seeks for me until He finds me!
Ain’t it a wonderful thing to know that you’re eternally safe in the mighty hands of God this morning Church?
What a mighty God, what a loving God, what a compassionate God we serve this morning!
And it’s this loving-kindness and compassion that Jesus begins to teach His disciples about here in this next set of verses.
We’re only going to break this down into 2 sections here this morning...
We’re going to begin by looking at the Progression of Compassion and then, we’re going to finish it out by looking at the Penalty for Non-Compassion.
So, if you have your Bible’s with you this morning and you have them turned to Matthew Chapter 18 & Verse 15, would you say, amen.
The Progression of Christian Compassion — (Vs. 15-20)
The Progression of Christian Compassion — (Vs. 15-20)
The first thing we need to understand when it comes to Christian Compassion this morning, is that Jesus gives us a clear path of progression when it comes to dealing with other believers.
Most Churches use this set of scripture as a road map when it comes to handling Church discipline.
Now, I know some of you are probably sitting there saying to yourselves, “Church discipline?” “The Church has no right to discipline me!”
Well, unfortunately, that’s where you’re wrong if you’re a member of a body of believers and we’ll see that here in a minute.
But if you are a member of a Church, and you’re out in the world backslidden on God, then the Church has every right to approach you and enquire about what’s going on.
Now, with that being said, the main goal when it comes to Church discipline ought to be to win that person back into the fold and edify that person not to scold them or belittle them.
Anyone who approaches Church discipline in such a way is only bound to make things worse.
But if approached in the right manner and with the right mindset, Church discipline is a great tool in restoring those who have fallen prey to the ways of the world.
Galatians 6:1
1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
The job of the Church is to help those who have went astray to find their way!
When the Bible says there in Galatians 6:1 to restore such an one…the word “restore” carries the idea of resetting a member in the body that has been dislocated.
One writer said it carried the idea of resetting a broken bone.
This form of restoration takes much time and patience!
Any of you ever broken a bone?
Did it heal over night?
Absolutely not. It takes time.
And when we have a member of our spiritual body and they’ve been dislocated, then we need to tend to that member. You don’t just allow it to stay broken. You need to tend to it and mend it, you need to nurture it and give it extra attention!
Only then, after much attention and labor will the mending take place!
And I’ll tell you a little something else…sometimes, after being mended, that member that was broken becomes stronger than it ever was before!
Ain’t that amazing!
The power of restoration is real!
But you see, we live in a world nowadays where instead of edifying a dislocated member, we just want to forget about them or gossip about them, or kick them when their down.
And we wonder why there is a falling away from the Church!
Because that’s not how Jesus originally intended on it being!
Look with me now at how exactly Jesus intended on Church discipline work.
There is to be a Private Approach to Restoration — (Vs. 15)
15 “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.
If someone has sinned against you, then first off you are to approach that person privately and let them know about it.
Warren Wiersbe — Approach the person who sinned and speak with him alone. It is possible that he does not even realize what he has done. Or, even if he did it deliberately, your own attitude of submission and love will help him to repent and apologize. Above all else, go to him with the idea of winning your brother, not winning an argument. It is possible to win the argument and lose your brother.
The last part there is key. Approach the situation in a spirit of meekness seeking to restore the relationship between the two of you.
If you go into it with a mindset that you’re going to get an apology and that it’s all about you and getting your way, then chances are, restoration won’t take place.
But when you go into with a spirit of meekness, there’s a good possibility that the outcome will be a glorious one!
And Jesus says, “if he will hear you, you have gained your brother.”
That word “gained” means to gain by investment.
The investment was the time you put into restoring that relationship. I love the idea of it being an investment.
No one ever invests in something to lose, right?
No, you invest in something to gain something more, right?
So, the idea that you’re making an investment in restoring that relationship means that if it works, you’re going to get more out of it than you had originally!
That relationship once restored will be stronger than ever!
But the first step is to privately approach the person for restoration.
Then, if that don’t work, you Jesus tells us there is to be a Party Approach to Restoration.
There is to be a Party Approach to Restoration — (Vs. 16)
16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.
The principle Jesus was referring to here was established in the law of Moses. In...
15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
Now, there’s a couple reasons why if option 1 doesn’t work you would want to get others involved.
One, it’s always a good idea to run your issue by others to just make sure you aren’t the one in the wrong.
Listen, we can all be a little pious/petty sometimes, amen. Sometimes we can get in that frame of mind where everything revolves around us and maybe the situation you’re upset about is really just one of those situations like the snickers commercial where you just need need to get over yourself and who else better to straighten you out than your closest brothers or sisters in Christ.
Sometimes we are the ones who need to be straightened out, amen!
But, if after running it by your closest confidants, they also feel you’ve been wronged, then Jesus says to take 2-3 witnesses with you so that they too can help plead your case and restore the one who’s done you wrong.
At this point, it’s no longer a me against you thing, a my word against your word: now, it’s their word against multiple witnesses words.
And there’s a reason for this progression.
Maybe the other person simply needed the matter solidified by others than just yourself and by hearing of their wrongdoing by multiple people, it could possibly get their attention.
But if not, now there’s multiple people who have tried to reason with this person and if they still aren’t willing to admit to their wrongdoing at this point, it’s time to make the matter public which is what Jesus says next here.
There is to be a Public Approach to Restoration — (Vs. 17)
17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.
If after the party visit the person still doesn’t come around, then the only option left is to bring the matter before the Church and make it a public matter.
Even now, the main goal of the whole matter is to regain the Brother or Sister and restore the relationship.
It’s not about winning an argument or being able to say you are right, it’s about bringing that Brother or Sister back into fellowship with you, with God and with the Church.
If at this point though, they still aren’t willing to admit wrongdoing for the greater good, Jesus says to treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector!
Basically this means to excommunicate them from the Church.
John Phillips — Traditional Jewish law forbade a Hebrew to associate, eat, or travel with a heathen; and if a Jew became a publican, he was excommunicated. Christian love modifies this restriction, for the attitude of a believer toward a heathen or a publican is that of concern for the person’s spiritual welfare.
We do not treat lost people as lepers; we try to win them to Christ. We do not treat excommunicated believers as pariahs; we seek their repentance and restoration. At the same time, we do deny them the means of grace that are linked by the Holy Spirit with the communion of the local church. We do deny them access to the Lord’s table and any active part in the assembly’s fellowship and services.
Church discipline when practiced with true Christian compassion can have a profound impact on restoring those who have sinned against us and against the Church.
Now, in a society where everyone feels that discipline is outdated and a thing of the past this may sound foreign but it’s what’s needed.
The reason many Churches are in the shape they are today is because Church discipline isn’t often practiced and when it is, it’s not done correctly.
The key to practicing Church discipline through Christian compassion correctly lies in the 3 verses that follow.
Practicing Church Discipline through Christian Compassion Correctly — (Vs. 18-20)
18 “I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.
19 “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you.
20 For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”
The key to Church discipline is ensuring that the Church as a whole is functioning as it should!
Listen, if the Church isn’t functioning according to Biblical principles how can it ever be in the right to discipline someone else.
It’s like when they brought Jesus the woman caught in the act of adultery and wanted to stone her and Jesus said, “ye without sin cast the first stone.”
If the members of the body aren’t in sync with God then how can they ever expect to approach others about their sins?
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
First, before we begin trying to straighten others problems out, we need to make sure we have our own straightened out, amen.
But when the Church body as a whole is trying to live Godly lives being led by the Spirit of God, then Jesus gives that body the authority to approach those who have gone astray with the intent of restoring them back into fellowship and communion with the Church.
Again, the goal is to restore not to reprimand!
And Jesus says here, whatever you as a body of believers decide to “bind” or prohibit, it shall be prohibited in heaven and whatsoever shall be “loosed” or permitted it shall be permitted in heaven.
And then He says something very special that has been a rock of ages for many congregations down throughout the centuries… “where two or three are gathered together in my name, I will be in the midst of them.”
A special promise for all those who believe!
After a lesson in Christian compassion and detailing the correct way to go about it, Peter, good ole Peter, decides he’s got a question.
He needs a little more insight into just exactly how often he should forgive those who wrong him and Jesus gives it to him.
And the answer He gives, is probably not what Peter was envisioning or wanted to hear but it just backs up what he just taught them in the verses prior.
The Penalty for Non-Compassion — (Vs. 21-35)
The Penalty for Non-Compassion — (Vs. 21-35)
Peter says, “Lord, how many times should I allow my brother to sin against me and still forgive him? Seven times?”
Now, Peter thinks he’s doing good here!
Warren Wiersbe said that the Rabbi’s of the day taught that three times were sufficient.
So, for Peter to say seven times, he thinks he’s going above and beyond!
But then, Jesus hits him up with the real number and I can only imagine ole Peter’s jaw dropped!
70 x 7!
“What do you mean 70 x 7 Lord?”
“How am I supposed to keep up with that?”
“That’s the point Peter! Love keeps no record of wrongs.”
“Forgiving has to become a habit!”
And then Jesus gives Peter an illustration to explain the point.
Explain Parable
Warren Wiersbe — The world’s worst prison is the prison of an unforgiving heart. If we refuse to forgive others, then we are only imprisoning ourselves and causing our own torment. Some of the most miserable people I have met in my ministry have been people who would not forgive others. They lived only to imagine ways to punish these people who had wronged them. But they were really only punishing themselves.
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
